Amaury Capiot (Arkéa-B&B Hôtels) claimed an emotional victory at the Tour of Oman after a year hampered by injury.
The Belgian sprinter survived the late rolling climbs that were packed into the shortened 104 km stage from Fanja to Yitti Hills and hit the rising finish line just ahead of Ide Schelling (Astana Qazaqstan) and Davide De Pretto (Jayco AlUla).
Finn Fisher-Black (UAE Team Emirates) secured a three-second time bonus at an intermediate sprint and then finished in the same time as the front group to take the leader’s jersey from Luke Lamperti (Soudal Quick-Step) before the decisive final stage to Jabal Al Akhdhar (Green Mountain).
The mountain finish traditionally crowns the overall race winner, with the 22-year-old Kiwi rider leading his biggest by a handful of seconds.